In comparison to traditional graphical user interfaces (GUIs), chatbots are still quite primitive. Currently, they’re unable to make intelligent deductions or understand complex conversations. Because the capabilities of conversational interfaces are limited, the interaction between chatbots and users has to be very basic in order to provide value.

Let’s explore a simple use case where beating the experience of a GUI with a conversational interface is unthinkable. Picking your seat before a flight via chat would be frustrating and would never outclass the simplicity of visually selecting the seat you want. Therefore, it’s clearly a use case that shouldn’t be addressed by a chatbot.

A prerequisite for every chatbot is the need to solve a problem with simple interactions, meaning a relatively short conversation. If the inputs can be gathered through a short conversation, then you have a use case for a chatbot.
Now let’s look at some great use cases:

Customer Support

Replying to frequently asked questions (FAQ) or providing simple and timely information are perfect scenarios for a chatbot.
A major burden for customer support is responding to the same requests over and over. A chatbot could provide correct answers, directly reply, or even escalate the request to a person freeing up agents’ time to work on more complex issues.

Concierge

A concierge chatbot can quickly perform contextual and repetitive tasks. For instance, something like planning travel itineraries only requires the bot to ask a few short questions. An “intelligent” concierge bot could even leverage past requests to provide quick actions such as, “Do you want to book the usual?”
Concierge chatbots can also coordinate between multiple users. By simply asking each participant for his or her preferences, the chatbot is able to find the most appropriate time slot.

Sales

Sales teams can take advantage of chatbots because they are ideal for cross selling. For example, a mobile operator could initiate a conversation between an existing customer to offer a broad data package, subscriptions to partner offerings, or other products that fit their profile.
Alternatively, a chatbot could participate in the sales process by generating leads for the sales team. Chatbots can provide initial information to a potential customer and, as soon as a certain level of interest is detected, the bot can either direct the lead to a salesperson or to a dedicated landing page.

Data gathering

Chatbots can trigger conversations to gather data. With regulations changing all the time, chatbots can reach out to customers to ask for the data necessary for banks to remain compliant. They can verify data for journaling purposes, such as verifying a customer’s address.
Outbound chat conversations are particularly powerful because they allow companies to reach customers on their existing channels. Chats or messages are also less invasive than a phone call, and require only a few seconds to complete.

Personal assistant

The personal assistant is the most AI intensive chatbot, which is capable of not only understanding open conversations, but also understanding context. Unfortunately, this use case is out of reach for the majority of companies and is currently being tackled by tech giants.